Good News - Pooja Bhatt's Dhokha goes Tax-Free

For all the wrong reasons that Dhokha was marred with, this news comes as a breather for director Pooja Bhatt, that Dhokha has been exempted from tax in Maharashtra and Delhi. Needless to say, that she is on the seventh heaven now. It is indeed a big thing for her considering the fact that the other two films that came out with Dhokha are out of the theatres. When IndiaFM spoke to her about this, a beaming Pooja said, “It’s indeed a great feeling. It is a very big thing for us as the ticket prices getting slashed to almost half will make the film accessible to the masses who need to see and learn from a film like this. We released Dhokha only in the multiplexes, since we could not get the single screens. Aag demanded and commanded more respect from the exhibitors and they gave them a kind of a much better peg, as it had the whole of the industry in it and was also the remake of Sholay.”

She added that Dhokha was not as controversial as Jism, which had a lot more to offer on the surface than Dhokha. Dhokha is more of a story’s film. She considers the ‘Tax-Free’ status as a great validation for the entire unit since they feel that their hard work has finally been paid off.

Looking at the trend of ‘sequels’ mushrooming in the market, when quizzed if she plans to do a sequel to Dhokha, Pooja laughed it off stating that she too busy enjoying the moment and was not in a mood to think anything else. On a lighter note, she added that if ever she was to make a Dhokha Part 2, she will follow the idiot box way and change the face of the actor! If that doesn’t work, then, she will take a cue from her grandfather, who was into the mythological films, and who would ‘transform’ the actors who used to throw tantrums, into animals!

Whats up ? Ramu !!

Before the release of his much awaited and talked about film Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag , Mr. Varma definitely must have had ‘Butter- flies’ in his stomach. Moreover, since it was not just any usual copy or remake heard of but was a remake of the legendary film, Sholay . Well the film did release and as expected ( especially by Ramesh Sippy) Varma did get his share of flaks pelted at him, but what was really unexpected was that people who usually butter him up too melted away. So when we have the famous and popular ‘Butter ad’ take a dig at him saying, “Ab tera Kya hoga Ramu” one cannot help but be the mean Gabbar Singh to him.

- indiafm.com

Chak De India enters Curriculum of business schools

Chak De India team gets another reason to smile. The word Chak De India not only drove them to win the world Cup in the film but now, has created its magic on MBA students as well. Chak De India will make its entry in textbooks of Business schools as a case study. The subject dealt in Chak De India and Curriculum of business schools might be poles apart. However, Chak De India boasts about a magnificent inspiration taken by management schools from various places in India, says YRF spokesperson, Monika Bhattacharya, “We have been getting mails from institutes in Chandigarh and Bhopal saying that they are including the film into their curriculum.” Chak De team, especially SRK and the director Shimit Amin have felt extremely proud to make such an inspirational film, says Monika,” It’s feels great as it is a matter of honour. We didn’t probably expect that the film would have such kind of effect on the youth and inspire people in such a way. I think it’s very heartening.” Before Chak De India, Lagaan and Corporate were included in management syllabus.

Buddha Mar Gaya - Movie Review

Starring : Anupam Kher, Om Puri, Paresh Rawal, Mahbanoo Mody-Kortwal, Rakhi Sawant
Directed by Rahul Rawail
Rating: None

Whose laash is it anyway? Decades ago Kundan Shah killed us with laughter in a comedy about a corpse that needed curious manoevering.

To his corny credit, Anupam Kher plays an inert deathly-still corpse in Rawail's feel-crude film as convincingly as Satish Shah did in Kundan Shah's film.

But the catchline 'You'll Die Laughing' is not really applicable in Buddha Mar Gaya…. one just dies of shock and shame watching the director of such modern classics as Arjun and Dacait plunge to unimaginable heights of infantile crudity.

The ensemble cast of this pitch-black comedy is devoid of all motivation except a searing self-serving greed. Every member of this multi-millionaire malfunctional family scoffs at all moral values and sniggers at finer sentiments.

In a sense Rawail's family's complete lack of innocence is in direct and devilish contrast to the family Sooraj Barjatya gave us in Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Hum Saath Hain.

Cunning, wicked, evil and vulgar, the family in Rahul Rawail's films spoofs the aesthetics of the archetypal Family Drama with a lingering appetite for red-hot crudity. It's hard for us to share their enthusiasm for the low life, specially when the dead man's grand -daughter performs an item song in front the corpse-pretending-to-be-alive.

The opera of the grotesque opens with the death of a tycoon (Kher) who dies while making love to the indefatigably saucy Rakhi Sawant. She eventually seduces and kills several other men from Vinay ( Bheja Fry) Pathak to Prem ('Mera Naam Hai Prem') Chopra.

What are all these talented actors doing in this over-heated over-cooked comedy of a disintegrated generation?

"What a glorious death. He came and went simulatenously, " says the dead man's grandson who finally turns out to be the dead man's son sired by the (now-dead) old man in lieu of his gay son (Mukesh Tiwari), secretly having an affair with the family godman (Om Puri) who's also doing it to the dead man's plump sister (Mohbanoo Mody-Kotwal, coming a long way off from her extraordinary 'Mrs Nair' act in Black).

By the time the cacophonic bump-and-grind satire creaks to a halt, you are looking at a film that makes a fashion statement out of anarchic iconoclasm.

By simply disregarding and rubbishing social institutions like the family nucleus and the rituals of death and mortality (Ranveer Shorey plays a cremation-ground broker who sells bodies to the 'needy') Buddha Mar Gaya attempts to give a tantalizing twist to the school of stripped-down satire.

But sorry, it isn't comic or cool to cut up the patriarch into pieces, literally.

This could be elected the one 'comedy' that tells you how not make a supposedly funny film. First of all, please don't convert the joint family into a circus of circumstantial irreverence…not if irreverence means anything from alternate sexuality to incestuous intentions.

Marigold - Movie Review

Cast: Salman Khan (Prem), Ali Larter(Marigold Lexton), Nandana Sen(Jaanvi), Helen, Suchitra Pillai, Ian Bohen (Barry), Shari Watson, Vikas Bhalla, Vijayendra Ghatge, Kiran Juneja, Gulshan Grover, Rakesh Bedi
Director: Willard Carroll

Marigold is a musical romantic comedy about a young American woman who travels to India.

There, she finds her life transformed in the most unexpected ways by her experiences and adventures.

Beautiful and bad-tempered American actress Marigold Lexton (Ali Larter) arrives in India with no luggage.

Stranded in Goa when finance for her low budget Hollywood movie falls apart, Marigold finds herself in a small role as part of a Bollywood musical.

Eager to prove herself, she enlists the aid of Prem (Salman Khan), the film's choreographer. Talented and hard working, Prem left his privileged life behind to follow his dreams.

After several heated arguments, during Marigold's dancing lessons, she experiences renewed confidence and growing love for Prem.

In rapid succession, Marigold discovers that Prem is not only descended from royalty but is about to have an arranged marriage to a beautiful Indian girl, Janvi (Nandana Sen).

Unable to deal with this development, Marigold angrily departs Prem's family estate. But she is urged back by Janvi who confesses that Prem doesn't love her and never will.

Another complication unfolds in the form of Marigold's boyfriend, Barry (Ian Bohen), who arrives unexpectedly in India and finds Marigold emotionally drained but still very much in love with Prem.

Does love ultimately triumph? Will Marigold and Prem ever be brought together? And what happens to Janvi and Barry? This romantic journey, pure Bollywood style has all the answers.

Kaisay Kahein - Movie Review

Starring: Rajveer and Neha Julka With Kunal Kumar, Aditi Govitrikar, Meghna Malik, Chavvi Mittal and Zarina Wahab
Music: Pritam
Directed by Mohit Hussein

Kaisay Kahein is a modern-day love story that pits romance against career. What happens when love breaks into the lives of two career-minded people?

Aditya (Rajveer) is a young banker with a bright future, but with no time for anything personal. That is till Radhika (Neha Jhulka) comes into his life.

A hardcore TV journalist devoted to her work, she meets Aditya during a sting operation. They fall in love, but the relationship is negotiated around their careers. Their professions remain priorities.

To keep their love alive, they decide to keep their personal lives separate from work.

But it's easier said than done, as love can't keep up with the erratic demands of their careers. Aditya can't leave his job and Radhika decides to take a much-awaited promotion that would take her away to another city.

Can love survive long-distance? Can Aditya and Radhika find the same passion in them as before?

Chak de India - Movie Review

Singers: K.K., Sukhwinder Singh, Anushka Manchandani, Hema Sardesai, Marianne D'cruz, Salim Merchant, Shah Rukh Khan and Krishna Medieval Punditz
Music Director: Salim-Suleiman
Rating: **

"Chak De India", a much-awaited Yash Raj Film starring Shah Rukh Khan, is set to hit the screens but the music isn't really making waves. Composer duo Salim-Suleiman have not done anything extraordinary or exciting.

A pretty good track to start the album with is "Bad bad girls" and singer Anushka Manchandani has done a neat job. Revolving around hockey, "Bad bad girls", penned by Jaideep Sahni, can't be called a fantastic track, but it's a good attempt at keeping the zest of the hockey team intact.

Hema Sardesi lends her voice to "Badal pe paon hai". It can't be termed feminist, but the track is inspirational and is high on rhythm.

Sukhwinder sings the title song "Chak de India". He delivers well but the song would sound much better while watching the movie. The lyrics are fine but the song lacks punch.

"Ek hockey doongi rakh ke", a number that introduces the team members, could have been composed better. Shah Rukh takes over the job of introducing each player, while they too voice a few lines. And in the end, K.K. comes and croons the "Chak de" line.

A depressingly slow track comes in the form of "Maula mere le le meri jaan". Probably a number that comes at a very crucial point in the film, it sees the pairing of Salim Merchant and Krishna for the vocals. With minor qawalli elements in it, the song puts one off completely as there's absolutely nothing that attracts you.

The last track, "Sattar minute", is hardly a number in the sense of a musical piece. It sees King Khan motivating his team members and almost rendering encouraging mini speeches. But it still seems better in comparison to the entire lot.

Salim-Suleiman have failed to put the theme across in a catchier and appealing way. Putting better quality of music would surely have done wonders to the album.

"Chak De India", a much-awaited Yash Raj Film starring Shah Rukh Khan, is set to hit the screens but the music isn't really making waves. Composer duo Salim-Suleiman have not done anything extraordinary or exciting.

A pretty good track to start the album with is "Bad bad girls" and singer Anushka Manchandani has done a neat job. Revolving around hockey, "Bad bad girls", penned by Jaideep Sahni, can't be called a fantastic track, but it's a good attempt at keeping the zest of the hockey team intact.

Hema Sardesi lends her voice to "Badal pe paon hai". It can't be termed feminist, but the track is inspirational and is high on rhythm.

Sukhwinder sings the title song "Chak de India". He delivers well but the song would sound much better while watching the movie. The lyrics are fine but the song lacks punch.

"Ek hockey doongi rakh ke", a number that introduces the team members, could have been composed better. Shah Rukh takes over the job of introducing each player, while they too voice a few lines. And in the end, K.K. comes and croons the "Chak de" line.

A depressingly slow track comes in the form of "Maula mere le le meri jaan". Probably a number that comes at a very crucial point in the film, it sees the pairing of Salim Merchant and Krishna for the vocals. With minor qawalli elements in it, the song puts one off completely as there's absolutely nothing that attracts you.

The last track, "Sattar minute", is hardly a number in the sense of a musical piece. It sees King Khan motivating his team members and almost rendering encouraging mini speeches. But it still seems better in comparison to the entire lot.

Salim-Suleiman have failed to put the theme across in a catchier and appealing way. Putting better quality of music would surely have done wonders to the album.

Cash - Movie Review

Starring Ajay Devgan, Shamita Shetty, Sunil Shetty, Diya Mirza,Zayed Khan, Riteish Deshmukh, Esha Deol Directed by Anubhav Sinha Rating: ** Curb your tendency to run the gamut of the pun. Cash is no trash. It's as nonsensically nifty as any of those cool capers from Hollywood like Ocean's Dus, gyarah, barah….whatever! Dus director Anubhav Sinha goes bust….women of every shape and sighs show up on screen to giggle and heave. And take on the boys in the game of acquisition. In one item song which goes Rahem kare, Choreographer Rajiv Goswami makes the Brazillian bombshell point her palm to an unmentionable part of her anatomy. And still, Cash steers as far away from any hint of vulgarity as conceivable. The hot babes with their catch-me-if-can attitude match steps in the strip-and-groove game with the cool dudes in their never-ending collection of designer glasses. Is Cash co-sponsored by Ray-ban? If it is, then this is as close as director Sinha comes to Satyajit Ray in this urbane caper that goes from hot chick to ubane chic at the flick of trendy wrist. Or wait ….is Cash a free-flowing endorsement for sun-tan lotion? As the cast gets sensuously and seductively soaked in the Cape Town sun you look for the South Africa that director Feroz Abbas Khan visits in the other release this Friday on the life of Gandhi and his son. There are no fathers and sons in Cash. But Suniel Shetty (looking extra-dapper and supremely suave in his svelte suits and,yes, cool sunglasses) has an adopted uncle with whom he does dirty deals and finally shoots pointblank. The point, if you must know is…there's no point to this heera-heist. Anubhav Sinha gate-crashes into a zone of singy amorality where boys try to be men and men try to get extra-pally with the women. James Bond meets Brij Sadanah in this coolly contemporized version of Sadanah's Chori Mera Kaam. Diamonds may be forever. Cash makes them dazzle and sparkle for two hours of sinful designer-entertainment. Stylishly mounted and edited to the point of conveying a cutting edge of glistening gaiety to even a casual conversation on the road, Cash provides a crash-course in how to make a celluloid diamond-heist not go to waste. Waist is where the plot gets its wriggle. Shamita Shetty is specially spunky and spicy as she woos the rather oddly made-up Ajay Devgan. Yup, she's the one to watch. Devgan plays a delectably subverted Superman-styled double-life character. For Shamita he's a mellow peace-loving writer. For Diya Mirza (who also has the hots for Suniel Shetty….these gold-digging diamond dames…I tell you!) Devgan is a Santa-Banta reciting entertainer-cum-heist-merchant. After a while it becomes hard to tell who's doing what to whom,and why. Screenwriters Yash-Vinay go back to all the capers from Victoria 203 to Dhoom…and come up with a crime-pays saga that keeps the adrenaline flowing and the cars, motorboats and choppers moving. The dialogues and situations are genuinely funny…specially the exchanges between Devgan and Shetty, and between Zayed Khan and Riteish Deshmukh who play a couple of heist-hawkers who often end up trying to commit the same crime at the same place Zayed and Riteish infuse their ha-ha-ha heroism with a pop-panache. You can't touch these wannabes, really! Not with the aerial and water stunts swarming the dapper frames in motions of curled-up cosmpolitanism. Ironically the most entertaining performance comes from Howard Roseneyer as a nose-in-the-air yatch manager pressurized by the cops to blow Ajay Devgan's lid. There is a genre of cinema that tilts its stylish topi to the art of jalebi storytelling. Wheels wind their way into wheels, and then some more wheels in this pulse-pounding ode to the spirit of audacious derring-do. Don't look for a linear cogent narrative design, as Anubhav Sinha merges crimes and cops, audacious animation and heart-in-the-mouth stunts in a mix that keeps you watching….numb-stop.